Beta 2-selective adrenoceptor agonists (beta 2-stimulants) have been used for 30 years for the relief of symptoms in patients with all grades of asthma. They can also be used before activities likely to precipitate airway narrowing and are sometimes taken as regular treatment by patients with chronic asthma. The first beta 2-stimulants to be introduced were shorter-acting drugs such as salbutamol and terbutaline. The longer-acting beta 2-stimulants, salmeterol and eformoterol were developed more recently and their role in treating asthma is not yet fully defined. In this article we review the current place of beta 2-stimulants in asthma management.